Editor’s Note: In a nod to our 91 years of history, each week SPEED SPORT will look back at the top stories from 20, 40 and 60 years ago as told in the pages of National Speed Sport News.
20 Years Ago — 2006
News: It is that time of year, when just like clockwork the rumors and speculation begin regarding the possibility the Champ car World Series and the Indy Racing League will merge.
And this year just like every other year, it’s not going to happen.
The story caught wind last week when Champ car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven told Autoweek and other media outlets that he and IRL President Tony George had met and discussed a possible merger.
“We met in Paris at the Race of Champions and on a couple of occasions since, socially,” Kalkhoven told Autoweek. “Certainly, I expect there will be more meetings in the future I quite enjoy his company.”
George, however, said there will be no merger in the near future.
“The IRL just signed a four-year agreement with Honda, and we’ve got a four-year agreement with our broadcast partner,” George told the Indianapolis Star. “We’re looking into entering long-term agreements with our promoters so all the teams, sponsors and constituents can have an idea where we’re going.”
George acknowledged, “we’re not really trying to make something happen,” and Kalkhoven told the Star he didn’t expect any developments.
“We’re two guys who have the best intentions for open-wheel racing at heart,” Kalkhoven said. “We’ve met, talked, skied a little and drank wine, but so far that’s about it.”
Winners: Still recovering from a serious IROC wreck, Steve Kinser proved his toughness once again winning Friday night’s inaugural National Sprint Tour feature at Thunderbowl Raceway.
The race culminated in a showdown between Kinser and California driver Tim Kaeding, whom Kinser hired to drive his second car.
The pair won the two dashes and shared the front row; with Kaeding, the fast qualifiet; choosing to start on the outside.
Kaeding took the lead, but the start was called off and Kinser controlled the restart and went on to lead every lap.
“I kinda snookered him on the restart,” Kinser said.
Kaeding followed Kinser the entire distance and finished second, while Jason Meyers, Joey Saldana and Sammy Swindell rounded out the top five.
A “heavy” track made for challenging driving conditions, and the 30-lap event was slowed by five yellow flags.
40 Years Ago — 1986
News: You had better enjoy the liberal menu of network coverage of auto racing on television during 1986. The pickings may be a lot leaner in coming years.
That is the clear picture emerging from a sea of oconflicting statements, conjecture and rumors in television land.
Auto racing is generally looked upon by the networks as being in the same category as golf and tennis, sports which have a high appeal to certain segments of the viewing public but are not really in the same class with the majors — baseball, football and basketball.
And, network salesmen have been having a hard time selling commercial time on auto racing telecasts of late. Whereas golf and tennis have in many cases been coming to the networks with the commercial time already sold, most auto racing events have not.
A notable exception Is the International Race of Champions, a four-race series being shown on CBS, which was essentially pre-sold before being taken on by CBS. It has strong backing from Budweiser, Goodyear, Chevrolet and True Value Hardware.
That is likely to be the trend for auto racing television in 1987 and beyond. Network executives, increasingly aware of the bottom line in the new scheme of things, are likely to say: “OK, you bring us a package with the commercial time sold, and we’ll put your race on the air.”
Winners: “It’s hard and aggressive driving that wins races here,” said Darrell Waltrip in describing the tricky half-mile asphalt oval that is Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway.
But it was overaggressive driving that sent leaders Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt crashing into the guard rail with just 2 1/2 laps remaining in Sunday’s Miller High Life 400.
Earnhardt was battling to keep Waltrip from completing a pass for the lead when their cars came together entering turn three. Both cars spun into the steel railing at great speed, taking the cars of Joe Ruttman and Geoff Bodine, running third and fourth, with them.
That gave Kyle Petty, running fifth, the lead and his first NASCAR Winston Cup victory as the race finished under the caution flag.
“I went two laps before I knew I was going to win the race,” said the driver of the Wood Brothers’ Citgo/7- Eleven Ford Thunderbird.
“I didn’t see Ruttman in the wreck; I thought we would finish second to him.
“I am tickled to death,” he added. “I thought I’d have to build a house on a street named victory lane before I got there by winning a race.”
60 Years Ago— 1966
News: One of auto racing’s most important safety developments, the Goodyear LifeGuard inner tire, logged more than 270,000 miles in its first full year of operation without a serious accident attributed to a tire failure.
The inner tire, introduced at the 1965 Daytona 500-mile stock car race, was driven a total of 271,496 miles during the 1965 NASCAR season, NASCAR records show.
During the season, 68 cars equipped with the inner tires were driven safely into the pits with damaged outer tires and returned to the race, according to figures compiled by the Goodyear racing tire development division.
For introducing the new safety tire, Goodyear received the 1965 Award of Excellence from NASCAR.
Winners: Paul Jones pushed the Bruce Bromme Offy to victory Sunday afternoon in the 100-lap CRA sprint car opener at Ascot Park before 4,100 fans.
Picking up where he left off at the end of the 1965 season, Jones came back to post the day’s fastest time on the half-mile dirt track of 22.3 seconds and led the 100-lap feature for the opening 14 rounds, losing the lead to Bruce Walkup.
He regained the lead on the 36th lap when Walkup’s car dropped out, then went on to lap the field before the checkered flag waved.
Finishing second was Don Thomas driving his own Chevy V8. Former IMCA champ Gordon Woolley took third money in the Maxon-Jeffries Offy. Fourth went to Ned Spath in the Miller Chevy followed by Bob Hogle in the Morales Bros. Offy. Time for the 100 laps was 39.05.
Jones jumped into an early lead from pole position and led the first lap over Mike Mosley,
Walkup, Billy Wilkerson and Hal Minyard. Walkup, pressing hard for the No. 2 spot, bumped Mosley going into first comer of the fourth lap. Mosley spun and Walkup took second.
Bob Hogle, up from ninth starting spot, passed defending CRA champ Minyard for fourth on the 11th lap and got by Wilkerson for third on the 13th.
Jones stayed on top until the 14th round when Walkup got past in traffic. By the 25th lap Walkup led by 12 lengths in the Surdam Chevy with Jones second and Hogle third.
As tire wear began to mount, Don Thomas came on strong during the second half of the race. Wooley came home third, with Spath fourth.
